Violin



Jan. 29, 1929. 1,700,395

L. YUKL VIOLIN Filed Dec. 1'7, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 awe/"tor 110mb Vat?Jan. 29, 1929.

L. YUKL VIOLIN Filed Dec. 1 7 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwuenlicw Load)Yiz/EZ Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES LOUIS YUKL, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

VIOLIN.

Application filed December 17, 1926.

This invention relatesto certain new and useful improvements in violins,and has more particular reference to an improved method of and means forimproving the resonance and strengthening and ennobling the tone ofviolins as heretofore constructed.

It is a well-recognized fact that most violins produced at the presenttime, and espe cially the cheaper grades of them lack to a pronounceddegree the desired resonance, and strength and nobility of tone. Forthis reason, the violinist is ever faced with the necessity ofexercising considerable skill and care in the selection of an instrumentsuitable for his use, and an instrument of the required sonority andtonal qualities can then only be commanded at a great expense madenecessary in part by the tedious and costly method of manufacture of andmaterial employed for the few satisfactory instruments.

As a result of a long series of experiments, I have found that theseunsatisfactory violine can be treated in a. simple manner and modifiedslightly so as to be rendered entirely satisfactory as to resonance andtonal qualities, the treatment and modification being economical andconsuming very little time.

More specifically, my invention involves treatment of the resonance boxof a violin so as to condition the material from which the parts of thisbox are formed, whereby the sonority of the box is greatly enhanced andthe tonal qualities of the instrument greatly improved.

The invention also involves a particular modification of the resonancebox in the nature of a resonance reed attachment therefor, whereby theimproved sonority of the resonance box is accentuated and lengthened orrendered more enduring, to bring the tonal qualities to their finalrequired standard.

In the course of my experiments, I have also found that by imparting acertain peculiar form to the resonance reed, the vibration of the latteris brought most perfectly in harmony with the vibration of the resonancebox and the tone of the strings, thereby affording an instrument whosevolume and sweetness of tone is pronounced.

I have further discovered that by proportioning and arranging a pair ofresonance reeds in a certain manner, to be hereinafter set forth, withrelation to the resonance box, a most desirable enhancement of the tonalqualities of the instrument is had.

Serial No. 155,376.

l/Vith the above stated and inferred objects in view, and others thatwill become apparent as the nature of the invention is betterunderstood, the same consists in the novel method and means hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings andclaimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a violin whose resonance box hasbeen treated and modified in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged front view of the resonance box thereof with thebelly removed;

Figure 3 is a back view of the belly;

Figure & is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section takensubstantially centrally through the rear end portion of the resonancebox;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, taken through the forward endportion of the resonance box; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the forward reed shown in Figure 5.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the wooden resonance box ofthe violin, as usual, comprises a vertical wall or body 5, a suitablyshaped back 6 and belly 7, usually glued at their ma 'gins to therespective edges of the wall 5, and internal end stays or props 8 fixedcentrally of the end portions of wall 5 as shown, the longitudinal soundbar 9 being secured to the inner face of the belly 7 near but at oneside of the longitudinal center of the latter. Thus far described, theconstruction is conventional and is that which is treated and modifiedin accordance with my invention to improve sonority and tonal qualities.However, is noted that the wood employed in the construction of theseresonance boxes, as a general rule, and invariably in the cheapergrades, in its natural or commonly seasoned condition, is very sensitiveto temperature and atmospheric changes and has a relatively shortvibration period. It naturally follows, therefore, that the instrumentsin question not only have tonal qualities which are inferior, but whichvary to an objectionable degree.

This inferiority is apparently caused to a great extent by the presenceof moisture in the wood, the moisture apparently having a dampeningeffecton the tone and also an anti-vibrating effect. The variancev ofthe tonal qualities seems to depend to a great extent upon the moistureabsorbing qualities of the wood and the existing humidity in thevicinity of the instrument.

After considerable experimentation, I have found that by subjecting bothsides of the parts of the resonance box to the direct heat of a flamefor a period of time sufficient to cause substantially all moisture tobe driven therefrom, the resonance of the box will be greatly improvedand the tone of the instrument correspondingly ennobled. I have furtherdisc vered that this heat treatment, if accomplished by passing a smallflame or jet back and forth over the surfaces of the parts, will notresult in objectionable chairing of the same, but will leave them withhard surfaces which prevent or resist absorption of moisture and insurean instrument whose improved tonal qualities will not readily ormeterially deteriorate or change.

The external surfaces of the parts of the usual resonance box areusually finished with stain, varnish, or both, and by passing the flameover the margins of the baclr and belly the finish thereon is removedand the glue securing these parts to the body is softened sufficientlyto permit ready separation of the back and belly from the body. I thenpass the frame back and forth over the outer surface of each of theseparts until the finish is entirely removed therefrom and this surfacehas a hard somewhat glazed or burnished appearance. This drives most ofthe moisture out of the wood and some to the inner surface, and thelatter is driven off by repeating the above operation relative to theinner surfaces of the parts. The treatment of each surface is repeatedin cases where considerable moisture is present or where the generalcharacteristics of the wood demand it, and then the parts are ready tobe again secured together and exteriorly finished.

However, while the above treatment greatly improves the sonority of theresonance box, there are still refinements, such as tone ennobling andsustaining which must be taken care of to cause the final instrument tomeasure up to the required standard as to strength and sweetness of toneproduced. This final step of enhancing the instrument is obtained byincorporating vibrating reeds in the resonance box before the belly isagain secured in place. I am aware that reeds have heretofore been usedto improve the tonal qualities of violins, but as far as I am aware, thetreatment of the resonance box, and the conjoint use of a box so treatedwith th cooperating reeds, are new and represent valuable advancementsin the ar I have obtained best results by using two reeds, one reed 10being supported by the rear rep 8, and the other reed 11 being supportedoy the forward prop 8. Each reed is supported at one end only for freevibration, and the reeds are normally alined and project inwardly towardeach other in spaced relation in the longitudinal center of theresonance box. Each reed is thus wholly positioned in a separate endportion of the resonance box, and somewhat closer to the belly than theback as respectively shown in Fig. 2 and Figs. l and 5. The reeds arealike in form but the forward reed 11 is somewhat longer than the rearreed 10. While an ordinary tapered reed will function fairly well, 1have devised a reed which is considerably more sensitive and which actsin most perfoot harmony with the vibration of the resonance box and thetone of the strings. This reed is formed from a single strip of wood ofuniform width and includes a relatively long stiff intermediate or bodyportion B and end portions E and E connected by rela tively thinportions T and T. The end portion E is set and secured in a recess ofthe associated prop 8 as at 12, a wooden bracing plate 18 similar formbeing secured thereon and also fitted in the recess to positivelyconfine flexing and vibration to the thin highly flexible resilientconnecting portion T. The connection T is very thin and gradually tapersthicker to merge with the body portion B, while the connection T issomewhat thicker and nearly stiff. The free end portion E is also quiteshort and tapered to a feather free end edge as at 14, and this, in thepresence of the thinner nearly still portion T, long body B, very thinand highly flexible resilient connection T, and fixed rigid end E,provides a most sensitive and uniformly acting reed which acts in mostperfect harmony with the vibration of the resonance box and the tone ofthe strings, so that the tone of the instrument is extremely sweet,strong, noble and enduring. It is particularly noted that the inventionstrictly involves narrow small flexible strips known as reeds, asdistinguished from large internal sound boards which have been proposedin some instances to substantially conform to the shape of the resonancebox or a major portion thereof.

From the above description, it is believed that the exact nature andmanner of carrying out the present invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

Minor changes may be made without departing from the scope of theinvention as claimed.

lVhat I claim as new is 2- 1. The combination with the resonance box ofa stringed musical instrument, of elongated resonance strip reedsattached at one end only and independently of each other at the sameheight above the back of the resonance box to the inside of the endportions of the body of said resonance box.

2. The combination with the resonance box of a stringed musicalinstrument, of elongated resonance strip reeds attached at one end onlyand independently of each other at the same height above the back of theresonance box to the inside of the end portions of the body of saidresonance box, said reeds being in spaced longitudinally alinedrelation.

8. In combination with the resonance box of a stringed musicalinstrument, of elongated resonance strip reeds attached at one end onlyand independently of each other at the same height above the back of theresonance box to the inside of the end portions of the body of saidresonance box, said reeds being of uniform Width and each embodying arelatively long intermediate portion and short attaching and free endportions connected by short thin portions, the thin portion between theintermediate portion and the attaching end portion being highly flexibleand resilient.

4. The combination with the resonance box of a stringed musicalinstrument, of elongated resonance strip reeds attached at one end onlyand independently of each other at the same height above the back of theresonance box to the inside of the end portions of the body of saidresonance box, said reeds being of uniform width and each embodying arelatively long intermediate portion and short attaching and free endportions connected by short thin portions, the thin portion between theintermediate portion and the attaching end portion being highly flexibleand resilient, and the free end portion being tapered to a thin free endedge.

5. The combination with the resonance box of a stringed musicalinstrument, of elongated resonance strip reeds attached at one end onlyand independently of each other at the same height above the back of theresonance box to the inside of the end portions of the body of saidresonance box, said reeds being of uniform width and each embodying arelatively long intermediate portion and short attaching and free endportions connected by short thin portions, the thin portion between theintermediate portion and the attaching end portion being highly flexibleand resilient, and the other thin portion being substantially stilt.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOUIS YUKL.

